Banku with Grilled Tilapia

Ingredients

• 4 medium whole tilapia
• 250 g corn flour
• 100 g cassava flour
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 whole scotch bonnet
• 2 whole lime
• 3 medium tomato
• 1 small onion
• 30 ml vegetable oil

Steps

1. Mix corn flour and cassava flour with cold water to a smooth slurry.
2. Cook the slurry over medium heat, stirring constantly with a sturdy wooden spoon, 20-25 minutes until it pulls away from the pan as a stiff dough.
3. Wet your hands with cold water and shape the banku into 4 rounded balls; keep warm.
4. Score the whole tilapia diagonally on both sides.
5. Rub with minced ginger, garlic, chili, lime juice, and salt into the cuts.
6. Rest fish 10 minutes so the marinade grips.
7. Grill over hot coals or a grill pan for 6-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
8. Meanwhile, blend fresh tomatoes, scotch bonnet, onion, and salt into a raw pepper sauce.
9. Serve each banku ball with a whole tilapia and a bowl of the pepper sauce for dipping.

Tips

• Traditional banku is fermented; a pinch of yogurt in the slurry approximates the tang.
• Overnight-marinated fish is dramatically better.